Loftwork.com, Loftwork's creator community which launched when Loftwork was founded, is transforming into a new co-creative platform called "AWRD."

“Loftwork.com,” Loftwork’s creator community which launched when Loftwork was founded, will transform into a new co-creative platform called “AWRD” in April 2018.
AWRD is an online evaluation platform used when administering competitions and hackathons.Through AWRD, Loftwork, along with creators from various fields, from both Japan and overseas, hopes to generate the chemical reaction with businesses and society more dynamically.

Companies who work to create new businesses, as well as new products and services, are increasing yearly from the evolution of technology and diversification of values. Through various projects, Loftwork has laid the groundwork for AWRD through gathering new perspectives that will lead to the discovery of new ground , and realizing the importance of mechanisms that help to produce ideas that are beyond one’s imaginings.

When the talent of creators’ meet projects, this produces innovation, and AWRD hopes to be a connecting point between the two.

3 characteristics of AWRD

Loftwork.com is a portfolio site which was born
from the desire to create a platform which helps the “creative” to circulate in the world. 25,000 creators are registered to this site, which has produced various ideas and products for different genres through upcycle product development, the redesigning of specialty products of various regions and considering new usages for manufacturers’ techniques. After 18 years, loftwork.com will transform into a simple online platform which creators can use to easily make applications and hosts can use to easily evaluate creators’ works. The following are the characteristics of this platform.

  • A creator community that is global and diverse
    Designers, illustrators, engineers, and architects...there are a myriad of creators in the community which surrounds Loftwork. High-level applications and outcomes will be produced in FabCafe's global network, which is based in 10 locations in the world.
  • Applying and evaluating can be done on a smartphone, making organizer tasks more hassle-free and reducing costs
    One can use the system for 50,000 yen a month or make
    bulk requests for project curation and event management.
    Teams which have worked on the management for projects of various types / fields will help the project grow along with the hosting team.
  • A design with a mechanism which maximizes the impact of the project
    We do the planning for occasions which utilize offline settings such as meetups directed at engineers (including hands-on meetups and meetups for the general public), as well as press conferences and award ceremonies for the media.

Awards are engines that help to speed up businesses

This is how awards work: Original themes are created, and works are collected according to these themes, and awarded.
Because works related to various fields and which use diverse forms of expression are collected, we can expect to discover various perspectives on each theme. Awards are effective as a means to help speed up businesses, as they can reframe (redefine) the value of the project and serve as a initiator which creates contacts with society.


Check information about how to use the system / estimated rates from here.

The opening project will feature the creative unit KIGI, RISO Mania, and a VR project which transgresses between the "real world" and "fantasy".

KIGI and OFS presents The Shirokane 5-chome Award

With art directors Ryosuke Uehara and Yoshie Watanabe from the creative unit KIGI, who are known for PRESS THE BATON, PARCO’s campaign visuals, as judges, applications for works which express the new values of “Jewerly and craft,” “Food (Scheduled for May),” and “Art (Scheduled for June)” will be accepted.

reators involved with OFS (OUR FAVORITE SHOP), a gallery/shop which KIGI opened in 2015, will be invited for the judging.
Plans to provide winners with opportunities to do sales at OFS, and hold events / exhibitions.??

Please look forward to the “KIGI and OFS presents Shirokane 5-chome Award,” a project based in Shirokane 5-chome, where OFS is located, in which you find a new value with “us”.

Details page for KIGI and OFS presents Shirokane 5-chome Award

Yoshie Watanabe
Ryosuke Uehara
OUR FAVORITE SHOP

Plans for May

May 5th, 2018 (Saturday) – May 25th, 2018 (Friday)
RISO Lovers MAKEATHON vol.01[Illustration]
May 12th, 2018 (Saturday) *Event
VR creation workshop for AWRD members only : STYLY Workshop for “NEWVIEW AWARD”

From the Editor-in-chief

Creators give shape to the unforeseen future, and make every day rich and thought-provoking.This makes them expressive people, which makes them master creators, like God. The mind of these creators dwell in people universally.

We want to cram such power in us and pass it onto the world, and vigorously create a rainbow over the society of tomorrow with unexpected chemical reactions. We want to create a place where as-yet-unknown creativity can be displayed and a place where individuals can challenge each other while working towards a goal.

We would appreciate your support for this service.

Editor-in-chief at AWRD
Kao Kanamori


>> “Hello. We are AWRD” Full text here

 

Kao Kanamori

Worked at the publishing company “Little More” after graduating from the Arts Criticism Department of Central Saint Martins Collage of Art and Design, then working as a Chindon-ya
(brightly‐dressed musician playing in the street for advertising purposes). Founded “Theatre Products” along with designers
Akira Takeuchi and Takuya Nakanishi in 2001, and was in charge of projects and management services related to PR and communication. Became the director of the NPO corporation “Drifters International” in 2010. Was the creative director for the opening of “Wrapple”, package material wholesaler Shimojima’s new business, in 2012. Joined Loftwork from 2018.

Contact information regarding AWRD
Regarding usage: awrd@loftwork.com (Person in charge : Kanamori)
Regarding coverage : pr@loftwork.com (Person in charge: Haraguchi from Loftwork’s PR team)

Please download the press release and press kit, which includes the logo, from below:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YpViURFVyt_EYa-be43oNhmFhgIdmmlr?usp=sharing

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